Teachers went on strike recently in Cusco. I’m not sure what this one was about as I hadn’t heard it announced on the radio as they usually are. I only found out when I pulled into Tucsa at over 4,000 meters above sea level, where we have a long running biblioteca project with the primary school students.
At first I was concerned (and a little annoyed) at seeing the students playing soccer with our teachers. Why weren’t they advancing on the lesson plan we had just reviewed in the latest teacher training session?
As I approached, the kids got to me first. “What is everyone doing just hanging around?” I asked, “Aren’t you working on your projects?”
The kids went on to tell me about the strike, how there was no school because of it but that they came to the project early anyway and worked all day with our teachers.
And the same went for all of our projects. When classes are cancelled for anything other than official holidays our projects still run, and the students still come. Always. Even those who walk hours to get there. They come because they want to. It is by far the best compliment and feedback we can get.